CARROLL COUNTY, VIRGINIA — A deadly chain-reaction crash involving multiple tractor-trailers and passenger vehicles shut down Interstate 77 early Sunday morning in wintry conditions that Virginia State Police say contributed to the fatal collision.

^{Photo credit: Hillsville Fire Department}

The crash occurred shortly after 5 a.m. at the 8-mile marker on the northbound side of I-77, where freezing weather, slick pavement, and limited visibility created dangerous conditions as vehicles traveled through Carroll County. Fire crews from Hillsville, Cana, and Carroll County Fire Rescue responded to the scene alongside state troopers. First responders reported that several passenger vehicles and at least two tractor-trailers were directly involved.

^{Photo credit: Hillsville Fire Department}

According to WXII 12, troopers said the crash began when a pickup truck traveling in the left lane struck the rear of a tractor-trailer, sending the pickup off the roadway and into the median. Moments later, the driver of a 2020 Tesla moved from the left to the right lane and collided with a second tractor-trailer. The Tesla then veered back left and crashed into the original tractor-trailer involved in the first impact, causing severe damage and trapping the driver inside the vehicle.

^{Photo credit: Hillsville Fire Department}

Fire crews worked to extricate the Tesla driver, but officials confirmed the individual died at the scene. Their identity has not yet been released. Emergency medical teams transported multiple other patients to local hospitals with non-life-threatening injuries, though the total number of injured has not been disclosed. State Police said wintry weather was a significant factor and that the investigation remains ongoing.

^{Photo credit: Hillsville Fire Department}

^{Photo credit: Hillsville Fire Department}

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